Colorado & The West

Kate Whitney, left, clutches the hand of Amanda Collins, right, in tears after the Colorado Senate State, Veterans and Military Affairs Committee passed a bill that would ban concealed-carry weapons on college campuses at the Colorado State Capitol on March 4, 2013, in Denver. (Daniel Petty, The Denver Post)

The Senate State, Veterans and Military Affairs Committee passed a bill late Monday that bans concealed firearms from college campuses.

The measure, House Bill 1226, had already passed the House, where it became national news after a Democratic proponent talked about rape, whistles and call boxes in a statement he later admitted was clumsy.

Those in favor of the bill said it was a matter of safety.

"They are not always law-abiding citizens," said Julie Carr, a University of Colorado at Boulder professor, referring to those who have concealed- carry permits.

The bill "is nothing short of insanity," said Evan Todd, a Columbine High School shooting survivor. "It creates even more gun-free zones than already exist."

The bill was in the works before the Aurora theater and Connecticut elementary school shootings. The impetus was a state Supreme Court ruling last spring that said college campuses cannot ban concealed-carry weapons because they weren't included in the list of exceptions when the legislature in 2003 passed the Concealed Carry Act.

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The measure has passed the House on a 34-31 vote, with three Democrats joining Republicans in voting "no."

New coordinator pushes Buffs to work, play at level he expectsJim Leavitt has discovered this much about his new defense at Colorado: He has some talent with which to work, but his players need to put it in another gear. Full Story

New coordinator pushes Buffs to work, play at level he expectsJim Leavitt has discovered this much about his new defense at Colorado: He has some talent with which to work, but his players need to put it in another gear. Full Story